Being the first generation in her family to attend college, Maria Del Pilar Morales felt intimidated when she entered USC. She found support in The Spirit of Troy. How did she wind up in the band? “My mom came from Mexico and was watching the Rose Parade and saw all of the marching bands, so she told us that in order to go to college you had to be in the marching band. That’s what we thought growing up,” she said. Maria and her brother marched in the 2017 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl. After graduating this year, she plans to pursue a career working as a human rights lawyer within a hospital setting or advocating for more equitable health policies. Learn more about Maria in USC News.